NICK THOMSON reports on a superb evening session at the National Stadium with Scotland getting in on the medal act.

IT may have been wet and not particularly warm at Hampden tonight, but that once again didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd who arrived at the National Stadium with real hopes of a home medal.

Eilidh Child had long been tipped to be the star of the track for Scotland, but before she got the chance to take to the lanes, home favourites Lynsey Sharp and Emily Dudgeon got the chance to qualify for tomorrow's women's 800m final.

Both finished fourth in their respective semi-final races - but Sharp's terrific last 100m and therefore a fractionally faster time than Dudgeon secured one of the eight places on the start line for tomorrow night's final.

Hampden was also blessed tonight with the presence of two sporting superstars in the shape of multiple-Paralympic Gold-medallist David Weir of England and the brilliant 800m world record holder David Rudisha of Kenya.

As expected, Weir stormed to victory in his T54 1500m race - and one look at his face as he crossed the line would tell you exactly what he thinks of the Commonwealth Games - but in the 800m race, one of the biggest shocks of the Games so far was to unfold.

Having taken to the front of the pack as he so often does in these races, Rudisha looked a dead-cert for Commonwealth Gold to add to his Olympic title, but right at the last moment, Nijel Amos of Botswana came from nowhere to pip the legend on the line.

Daily Record/Paul Chappells

Botswana's teeth-gritting Nijel Amos beats David Rudisha in a thrilling 800m final at Hampden

Scotland's Guy Learmonth finished in sixth place - but that marked a best ever performance from a Scottish athlete over that distance as he posted a time of 1.46.69.

But almost everyone inside the National Stadium was there to see Eilidh Child - and as she set off on her quest for glory she was greeted with a quite incredible roar that followed her around every inch of the track.

It looked at one stage as if she would take the gold medal, but in the end she had to settle for Silver - and there appeared not a hint of disappointment at finishing as runner-up to Jamaican Kaliese Spencer as she took in a joyous lap of honour in front of an excitable crowd.

That said, passionate Hearts fan Child couldn't have been overly enamoured with Hibs' anthem "500 Miles" serenading her glory bow, although she was at one stage seen making a "5-1" gesture, perhaps in reference to the result when the two Edinburgh clubs met at this very stadium in the Scottish Cup final two years ago.

Yet another terrific night of action at Hampden - but the atmosphere looks set to go to a different level tomorrow night as Usain Bolt makes his Hampden bow in the 4x100m heats.

Lynsey Sharp will also return tomorrow night - and if she can turn in an improved performance she may just squeak into the women's 800m medal positions.